Monday, April 22, 2013

Savory Asparagus Gelato

If you like asparagus and most importantly, if you are adventurous
and open to new flavors just like me, this is a “go for” recipe. That sort of
thing you surprise your friends with and your taste buds. Be prepared because this is not the gelato
you are expecting. It’s far from the
common concept of gelato and from the sweetness you would flavor from a
pistachio or chocolate gelato. It falls
under the savory category but without the salt.
In its way, it is sweet, a different natural sweetness, like that of
fresh spring peas, in this case asparagus, with a delicate vegetable taste
background. You won’t serve this as
dessert, some do, rather this suits a perfect antipasto and you just need a
scoop to enjoy plentiness of flavor.

Asparagus is the protagonist, every other ingredient will rotate around its center to enhance the flavor. I chose ingredients that I usually would add when serving asparagus as a side dish. Mint, balsamic vinegar and hemp seeds, just to add a crunch. In Milan, they make asparagus gelato with gin and nutmeg, others use slivers of parmesan cheese to finish and top. It's all a matter of preference and gastronomic "savoir faire", you can really play around with the ingredients. Oh...and surprises are not yet to end because gelato can be made without the use of an ice cream maker. You just need a pot and a wooden spoon. An ice cream machine would make the process effortless of course, but things aren't too complicated if you decide to make it without one, as I did.

Once the gelato batter is ready, as per the recipe below, pour the solution in a freezer cold container with a lid. Every hour, retrieve it from the freezer and whisk to break the ice crystals as they begin to form. The same procedure is repeated every hour for 4 times (a total of 4 hours). You then leave it in the freezer until you decide to serve. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes beforehand, if it is rock hard, breakdown the ice crystals with your blender and serve.

This was my first time making gelato and my first time trying savory gelato, I am completely enthusiastic about it. My answer to the question, why asparagus gelato? It can be tomato, pea or parmesan gelato, I compare it to a choice of cold or warm milk, fresh fruit or jam, sushi or barbecued fish, It's taste, preference and an overall mind opening towards different ways to eat something tasty and healthy at the same time. It's also an escamotage to have your children eat vegetables ;-)

Cut the top 2 to 3
inches from each asparagus stalk; reserve the bottoms for another use.

Fill a large bowl
with ice water. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus tops
and cook until bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and plunge into the ice
water, then drain well and transfer to a blender; set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks
and sugar in a medium bowl. Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan over medium
heat until it just boils. Remove from the heat and gradually add the yolk
mixture, whisking constantly. Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring
constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the
spoon and a thermometer registers 170 degrees F, about 10 minutes (do not let
the custard boil).

Transfer the
custard to the blender with the asparagus and puree until smooth, 1 to 2
minutes. Cool completely, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer.

Freeze the
asparagus custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's
instructions or follow the instructions described above if you don’t have an
ice cream maker.